Baked Sole Fillet in a Spiced Cream Sauce Recipe

The Fish:

• 2 whole sole, approximately 1 kilogram each, filleted into 8 pieces

The Sauce:

• 75 grams shallots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, green germ removed, minced
• 50 grams butter
• 4 tablespoons coconut milk
• 125 milliliters white wine
• 25 milliliters white port
• 300 milliliters fish stock
• 300 milliliters chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• Double pinch of saffron threads
• 500 milliliters heavy cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

The Garnish:

• 75 grams butter
• 30 grams red bell pepper, peeled and chopped
• 30 grams fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
• 50 grams domestic mushrooms, chopped
• 50 grams peas
• 30 grams Granny Smith apple, peeled
• 1 lemon
• 100 milliliters olive oil
• 900 grams spinach, stemmed and washed
• Panko crumbs
• 2 inches peeled fresh ginger, sliced
• ½ bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped

Preparation:

For the Fish:

1. Fold both ends of each fillet under to form a neat and uniform portion. Make a shallow incision at each bend to ensure the fold stays in place.
2. Save all the trimmings and bones to use for the fish stock.

For the Sauce:

1. Sweat the shallots and garlic in the butter until soft without browning them.
2. Add the coconut milk and reduce until almost dry.
3. Pour in the wines and reduce until syrupy. Add the stocks and the spices and reduce by three-quarters.
4. Add the cream and simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly and approximately 400 milliliters of liquid remain.
5. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and strain through a fine strainer. Set aside.

For the Garnish and Finish:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cook the pepper, fennel, and mushroom in 25 grams of the butter until tender. Season with salt and pepper and set them aside.
3. Cook the peas à l’anglaise and refresh them.
4. Rub the apple with the lemon before cutting..
5. Cook the spinach with half the olive oil, drain well, and keep warm.
6. To order: Brush the topside of a sole fillet with some oil and season lightly all over. Press the oiled side into the panko crumbs, ensuring they adhere well. Cook the fillet gently on the face side in a bit of butter and some of the remaining oil until light golden. Turn the fillet over and bake in the oven for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and blot on paper towels.
7. Arrange a fillet alongside some spinach on a warm serving plate.
8. Reheat the sauce and add the garnishes along with ginger. Spoon the sauce around the fillets and sprinkle the cilantro over the sauce.